Bartow Middle School Teacher Accused of Threatening Prosecutor

A 49-year-old Bartow Middle School teacher was arrested Wednesday on a charge of threatening a public official during a phone call with a jail inmate.

By BEN BRASCHTHE LEDGER

BARTOW | A 49-year-old Bartow Middle School teacher was arrested Wednesday on a charge of threatening a public official during a phone call with a jail inmate.Seventh-grade English teacher Kelly Ann Karynn, of 164 Shadow Lane in Lakeland, was arrested by Polk County Sheriff's Office detectives and is now on paid administrative leave from the School Dis­trict.On Monday, Karynn was talking to David Bills, who is in the Polk County Jail on child sexual battery charges, when, detectives say, she threatened Assistant State Attorney Melissa Gravitt and her family.Gravitt is prosecuting Bills on sexual battery charges, said Brian Haas, chief assistant state attorney. According to the Sheriff's Office release: "During the phone call, Bills told Karynn that ASA Gravitt has a tough reputation and tries to 'scare' criminal defendants. Karynn responded by stating, 'If she wants to scare me, I'll start talking about children and how I know she has three children and their ages. You're a mother right?' " The news release says that Bills reminded Karynn their conversation might be recorded by law enforcement and the State Attorney's Office, "to which she replied, 'That's fine! Hi Melissa, how are you? I look forward to seeing you on the 8th. How are the kids?' "The 8th was a reference to a subpoena Karynn received to give a deposition Aug. 8 regarding Bills' case, according to the news release. During the phone call, Karynn requested the last name of the detective who arrested Bills so she could also look up information on him, the news release says. "Bills told her he only knew the first name and didn't know the last name, but he would find the last name and give it to her," the release said.Bills, who is married, had a romantic relationship with Karynn before he was in jail. Bills was originally arrested Nov. 6, released on bail Nov. 24, but taken into custody again Dec. 10 on charges of violating conditions of his pretrial release by having contact with the victim. Bills has been in jail since then, the release said.Karynn said she looked online for personal information about Gravitt, the release said. Karynn told Bills she had looked at pictures of Gravitt, her husband and children. The release said Karynn told Gravitt that she knew what she and her children looked like.On Wednesday, Sheriff's Office detectives searched Karynn's home and confiscated a cellphone, a computer and documents related to the investigation, the release said. Detectives plan to analyze her computer and cellphone.Karynn was hired by the Polk School District on Aug. 16, 2010, to work at Lakeland High School, the release said. She transferred to Bartow Middle on July 1, 2011. Her yearly salary is $38,949.Haas said Karynn is in the Polk County Jail with no bail and has a bail hearing today.[ Ben Brasch can be reached at ben.brasch@theledger.com or 863-802-7590. Follow Ben on Twitter @ben_brasch. ]